Spagnuolo to Join Saints as Defensive Coordinator

By snygiants1 | Jan 20, 2012 | 5:03AM

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Former Giants' DC Stays Out of Philly, but Ends up With Another NFC Power

One look at this year’s NFC title game matchup demonstrates how the National Football League is anything but predictable.

The defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, owners of the NFL’s best record (15-1) this season and the NFC’s top seed this year are missing from that game, as are the previous Super Bowl champs, the New Orleans Saints, despite going 13-3 this year.

In the Packers’ place are the fourth-seeded New York Giants, who only five weeks ago, were a mediocre 7-7 and fighting desperately for their playoff lives before upsetting the Packers by 17 points on Green Bay’s home field last Sunday, to continue their second magical playoff run in five seasons after missing the postseason each of the past two years.

And, standing in for the Saints, are the second-seeded San Francisco 49ers, who matched New Orleans’ regular season win total before beating the Saints in last week’s divisional playoff meeting.

It’s been quite a turnaround San Francisco, after going just 6-10 in a lousy NFC West, which made history as the league’s first division with nothing but losing teams last year.

In an ironic way, the Giants and 49ers did each other a favor.New York didn’t want to travel to New Orleans, where the Giants were embarrassed, 49-24, before a Monday Night Football national television audience in Week 12, and the 49ers prefer to host the Giants on Sunday rather having to take a trip to Green Bay.

Nevertheless, the Week 1 Thursday night marquee matchup that kicked off the 2011 NFL season, with New Orleans playing at Green Bay, turned out not be a foreshadowing of a later conference title game that many thought would take place.

Instead, the Giants and 49ers renew an historic rivalry with and eighth postseason contest between the teams.

This year’s NFC championship game underscores just how quickly things can change in today’s NFL – not only from season to season, but within the same season, in a matter of weeks – and how difficult it is for even the best teams to reach the Super Bowl.

That’s precisely why so much is at stake on Sunday. Neither of this year’s surprise conference title game entries know when they might get to this lofty stage again, especially with the NFL coaching carousel once again in motion.

The recent firing of ex-Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo as the St. Louis Rams’ head coach caused the inevitable domino effect around the NFC.

The vacancy left by Spagnuolo’s departure opened the door for Jeff Fisher to return to coaching as the head coach of Rams, whom Fisher, as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans, lost to in his only Super Bowl appearance.

Needing a defensive coordinator, Fisher, last Sunday, tapped the Saints’ Gregg Williams to join him in St. Louis, which opened the spot for Spagnuolo to once again do what he does best – focus on defense, as a coordinator.

While the Saints hadn’t officially announced his hiring as of Thursday night, it appears that Spagnuolo, the architect of a Giants’ defense that punished New England star quarterback Tom Brady in New York’s monumental Super Bowl XLII victory, is ready to team up with New Orleans head coach Sean Payton as the Saints’ new defensive coordinator.

That would give the Saints a formidable duo of ex-Giant coordinators who each took New York to Super Bowls in the past (Payton, the Giants’ former quarterbacks coach in 1999, was New York’s offensive coordinator when he helped the Giants go to Super Bowl XXXV).

With all of the Saints’ firepower on offense, adding Spagnuolo in an effort to improve New Orleans’ defense, should make the Saints even tougher as once again, one of the favorites in the NFC next year.

Additionally, the Packers should still be very good, along with a pair of talented yet underachieving teams from this season – the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys – both of whom should pose significant threats to the Giants in the NFC East next season.

Thus, when looking ahead to next year, the urgency for the Giants and 49ers is immediately raised, even beyond the already high degree of exigency that naturally comes from playing for a trip to a Super Bowl.

That’s not to say that the loser of Sunday’s showdown won’t be in the mix for an NFC title a year from now. However, for all of the talent the Giants and 49ers possess themselves, and as fortunate as they are to each be just one final step from football’s ultimate game, Sunday’s chance at gaining an NFC title is about the future as much as the present.

Giants receiver Sterling Shepard won't play in Sunday's game against the Bills, as the receiver remains in the league's concussion protocol.

But now, questions have arisen within the league about the way Shepard entered the protocol to begin with.

Shepard played the entire game against the Cowboys and it wasn't until Monday that Pat Shurmur announced Shepard had a concussion.

But the play in question occurred in the third quarter on Sunday, and despite the process the league has in place for spotting possible head injuries-- with multiple "spotters" on the field and in the press box whose sole gameday responsibility is to make sure any potential head injuries are given medical attention-- no one seemed to notice when Shepard went down

Giants' superstar goes extra mile for fan

By Nick Wojton | Sep 14 | 7:10PM

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Saquon Barkley

After the Giants fell to the Dallas Cowboys in their season opener last week, a video of a young Big Blue fan went viral. The child, wearing a Giants jersey, tried to get the autograph of the Cowboys' Demarcus Lawrence following the game.

The Giants have a tall task coming against another mobile quarterback

By Garrett Stepien | Sep 14 | 4:37PM

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(Jerome Miron)

After the Giants failed to generate pressure against the Dallas Cowboys, leading quarterback Dak Prescott's 405-yard passing performance in the season opener's 35-17 loss the past weekend, outside linebackers coach Mike Dawson and the New York staff hit the reset button ahead of Sunday's 1 p.m. matchup with the Buffalo Bills.

"I think everybody's looking for the same answer -- how are we going to get pressure on the quarterback?" Dawson said. "You've obviously got to make him uncomfortable, get the ball coming out faster and we've got to make him throw it under duress when he is going to throw it. And then, ultimately, we need to sack the quarterback and get there.

"So it's something that I think all the guys are hungry to get fixed, hungry to get answered. Came out and trained hard this week, so we've got to do a great job. Guys that can move, you've got to have a good aiming point, good plan on those guys and be able to get to them."

Without Sterling Shepard, how do Giants adapt on offense vs. Bills?

The Giants ruled Sterling Shepard out for Sunday's game

By Garrett Stepien | Sep 13 | 4:15PM

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Giants thin at wide out00:00:47

New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur discusses how the Giants will have to produce at wide receiver despite being hit by the injury bug.

Sterling Shepard spent the week in concussion protocol, but the fourth-year wide receiver was out on the field Friday as the Giants turned the page from the past weekend's 35-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

The Giants hoped to have Shepard back by the time Sunday's 1 p.m. kickoff at MetLife Stadium against the Buffalo Bills arrived, but they instead enter the home opener without one of their top offensive weapons.

After Friday's practice, Shurmur said that Shepard was not entirely held out of action, but there were further steps needed to gain clearance before Sunday's game.

Sunday's 1 p.m. kickoff at MetLife Stadium between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills just got a bit more interesting.

A day after Pat Shurmur said Wednesday that Bills quarterback Josh Allen "had a chance to be a starter," repeating the head coach's take on the Wyoming product as the Giants evaluated the position ahead of the 2018 NFL draft, the Bills took notice.

WATCH: DC James Bettcher explains what Giants must do to improve defense moving forward

Giants allowed 494 yards of offense in Week 1

Sep 12 | 1:20PM

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Bettcher talks improving defense00:01:16

New York Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher explains how improve the defense after giving up 400+ passing yards to Dallas.

The Giants defense had a 2019 debut they'd like to forget.

As a unit, the Giants allowed 494 yards of offense against the Cowboys, the most of any NFC team. Their 35 points allowed were also the most given up by any NFC team, and defensive coordinator James Bettcher believes the key to fixing the defensive issues is to put in the work during the week.

Shurmur said Allen "had a chance to be a starter" coming out of 2018 Draft

Just a season ago, the Giants had the chance to take one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL Draft with their No. 2 overall pick. Josh Allen was among those quarterbacks, coming out of Wyoming.

However, the Giants went with Penn State RB Saquon Barkley with that pick, and Allen went to the Bills seventh overall.

On Sunday, Allen will be going up against Big Blue with Buffalo staying in East Rutherford following their come-from-behind win over the Jets in Week 1. Giants head coach Pat Shurmur commented on Allen, and though he wouldn't say whether or not he was an option for the Giants in that 2018 Draft.

The Giants officially placed LB Kareem Martin on Injured Reserve on Wednesday due to knee injury suffered against the Cowboys, and while the team re-signed WR TJ Jonesto fill the roster spot, the team may be looking at another recent addition to fill Martin's shoes on defense.

On Monday, the Giants claimed LB Tuzar Skipper off waivers from the Steelers. Pittsburgh had waived him to promote Johnny Holton to the active roster, and according to Skipper, they had hoped to bring him back before the Giants swooped in.

"They were short a gunner and low on wide receivers that week for New England, so they basically cut me and then they were going to bring me back to the (53-man roster) again, but the Giants claimed me," Skipper said. "They didn't think that I was going to get claimed. The Giants claimed me like the last five minutes before the deadline or something like that."

However, the safety is confident the youngster can step up

Eli Manning, Jabrill Peppers, and Evan Engram discuss the urgency for the Giants to fix problems quickly in order to get a win in Week 2.

The Giants allowed 405 yards through the air to the Cowboys, a main reason why the scoreboard read 35-17 Dallas at the end of the day.

Heading into the season, the Giants knew they were inexperienced at the position with the exception of Janoris Jenkins. It was a young yet hopeful group that the team believed would translate well.

But that was the exact opposite outcome with the Cowboys' receivers doing whatever they wanted on the field. Dallas' social media team posted a recap video on their Twitter that proved receivers like Amari Cooper knew they had the upper hand.

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Giants injury report: Kevin Zeitler, Sterling Shepard highlight list

G-men should have full OL in Week 2

Sep 11 | 4:56PM

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New York Giants' Eli Manning (10) signals the line of scrimmage as Kevin Zeitler (70) and Saquon Barkley (26) look on during a NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth) (Michael Ainsworth/AP)

A week after the Giants' first injury report of the 2019 season was highlighted by an offensive lineman, it is once again in Kevin Zeitler, along with wide receiver Sterling Shepard.

Zeitler sustained a shoulder injury in the Giants' season opener, a 35-17 loss to the Cowboys. As the Giants turn their attention to their Week 2 opponent, the Buffalo Bills, Zeitler was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, according to the team's injury report.

But all signs are pointing to the positive in regard to the 29-year-old lineman's health. Giants head coach Pat Shurmur told reporters he believes Zeitler "will be fine." In addition, Zeitler himself said there's "no doubt" he'll play against the Bills.

Jones was a tough roster cut this preseason after a solid camp

Sep 11 | 1:02PM

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Aug 8, 2019; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver TJ Jones (2) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports (Vincent Carchietta)

With Sterling Shepard currently in concussion protocol and questionable for Sunday's game against the Bills, the Giants made a move to shore up his spot on the roster.

This isn't the first time Jones was brought in after injuries struck the Giants. With Golden Tate's suspension, Corey Coleman's ACL tear and Shepard dealing with a thumb injury previously, Jones came into Giants training camp to add more depth. And he made the best of the opportunity.

But the statistics were deceiving after New York put three scores on the board -- a garbage-time rushing touchdown by running back Wayne Gallman among them on a two-yard run with 2:54 left in the fourth quarter made no difference.

Giants will head back to the drawing board with young defense

Big Blue allowed 494 yards against the Cowboys on Sunday

By Corey Hersch | Sep 9 | 7:27PM

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(Jerome Miron)

Giants head coach Pat Shurmur knew he had a relatively inexperienced group on defense coming into the season, and they undoubtedly struggled against the Cowboys in Week 1, allowing 494 yards of offense, including 405 yards through the air.

Shurmur knows that a young corps on defense is bound to take its lumps and believes that the issues that plagued them in the opener are fixable.

"I think we've got to coach the players constantly," Shurmur said. "Certainly, we didn't do anything well enough to win the game yesterday, so you coach them on the details of it, but also on the mindset of getting back to work. You show them where they should be better, you show them how to be better, and then you go out and practice it, so that's the process."

What Giants' dismal Week 1 performance could mean for timing of the Daniel Jones Era

If the Giants are this bad, they'll have to turn to Jones no matter how well Eli Manning is playing

It is not time for Daniel Jones to start. It is not time for the Giants to surrender the season and begin looking towards the future. It is not time to finally and officially declare Eli Manning "done."

But a few more performances by the Giants like the one in Dallas on Sunday, and the start of the Daniel Jones Era might be pretty close.

That really has nothing to do with Manning, the Giants' 38-year-old currently starting quarterback. As easy a target as he may be, he wasn't the reason the Giants were blown out, 35-17, in Dallas on Opening Day. But in the end -- his end -- there seems to be an increasing possibility that his own play won't matter.

This is how the Giants should be using Evan Engram all season

The matchup nightmare had team highs in receptions and yards in Week 1

When you look at the 35-17 final between the Cowboys and Giants on Sunday, there isn't much to be happy about from New York's standpoint.

However, when you check the box score -- or just watch the game closely to begin with -- Giants fans should be happy about Evan Engram's production.

This season, Engram's third since he was drafted in the first round in 2016, was supposed to be the one where he really breaks out and becomes the matchup nightmare everyone in the Giants' organization knows he can be. And that's exactly what he did in a stellar first game.

Barkley only rushed 11 times, and wasn't used in big situations

The game was far from over late in the third quarter when the Giants were deep in Cowboys territory. They were moving the ball, on the verge of scoring, facing a third-and-2 from the Cowboys' eight yard line.

It was the perfect time to place the ball in the hands of their best player, who just happens to be one of the most dynamic players in the league. So the Giants lined up, the ball was snapped, and Eli Manning turned and handed the ball to…

Head coach Pat Shurmur on Giants following loss: 'They need to improve quickly'

Shurmur said team did not play well in any of the three facets

Sep 8 | 9:16PM

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Giants react to 35-17 loss00:01:21

Pat Shurmur had an honest evaluation of the Giants loss while Eli Manning said the team will regroup and recover in week two.

After watching his team get thoroughly dismantled by the Cowboys in a 35-17 Week 1 loss, Giants head coach Pat Shurmur didn't have a ton of positive things to say following the game.

"We certainly didn't do well enough on offense, defense or special teams to win against a good team that played well," Shurmur said. "We didn't score enough points and we certainly gave up too many."

Big Blue started well on Sunday, scoring a touchdown on their first drive after forcing the Cowboys to punt on their first possession of the game. But it was all downhill from there, as they got outscored 21-0 in the rest of the first half and never got close the rest of the way.

Giants Takeaways from Sunday's 35-17 loss to the Cowboys, including a defense that showed some glaring deficiencies

It's possible that the Giants defense is actually worse than anyone thought.

That's hard to believe, considering how low expectations were, but it was like they were barely there in the Giants' 35-17 opening day loss in Dallas. They got no pass rush at all, and their secondary was a mess of poor coverage and broken plays. The result was a 405-yard, four-touchdown performance by Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, who looked like he was running a 7-on-7 drill all day.

It was embarrassing, really. Also it was not surprising. It was clear the Giants weren't going to be able to generate much of a pass rush this season, and they drew a tough assignment anyway against the Cowboys' powerful offensive line. But the coverage was worse than advertised, particularly starting corner Antonio Hamilton, who was literally shoved around throughout the game.

New York Giants 2019 Season Preview: Players to watch and record prediction

The feeling inside the organization is different than the feeling outside of it

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Nobody on the outside really likes this Giants team, or thinks it will be any good this season. But on the inside, the feeling is much different.

Everyone in the Giants' building seems to really like what they've done with this team.

"We don't really listen to the talk outside," Giants head coach Pat Shurmur said. "We feel like we are a better team than we were a year ago. … I like the way we have built our team. I like some of the changes we made personnel wise.

Here's the Giants' win projection and playoff odds for the 2019 NFL season

Do the Giants have enough to compete in 2019?

By Garrett Stepien | Sep 6 | 1:02PM

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Sep 16, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) and quarterback Eli Manning (10) on the field before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports (Tim Heitman)

On the heels of the disappointment from their 5-11 result last year, the Giants are retooled as they enter the 2019 season with a reshaped roster and second-year leadership.

While head coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Dave Gettleman have insisted that the Giants are still built to win after the team traded star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., are veteran quarterback Eli Manning and second-year running back Saquon Barkley -- among others -- enough on offense while the defense makes up for offseason departures?

In a tightly projected NFC East, the Giants are pegged by Pro Football Focus -- which uses thousands of simulations in accordance with the outlet's proprietary grades and situational information -- for a third-place divisional finish and iffy postseason odds.

Giants' Saquon Barkley Unplugged Part II: On value of the running back and not focusing on next payday

Saquon also weighed in on the Giants' playoff chances

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - When news broke of Ezekiel Elliott's six-year, $90 million contract extension (with $50 million in guaranteed money) on Thursday, Saquon Barkley was happy for his fellow NFL running back. Just not for the reasons everyone thinks.

He said he didn't give a second of thought to what it might mean for him when his own four-year, $31.1 million contract is over (presumably after the team exercises its fifth-year option in 2022). And remarkably, not a single friend or family member has brought that up to him either - at least not yet.

Saquon on opposing defenses, learning from Odell, adjusting to stardom, and more

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Few players in Giants history had rocketed to superstardom as fast as Odell Beckham Jr. did. In what seemed like an instant, he became a household name and got caught up in the instant access and lack of privacy in the social media age.

There were times the Giants felt like it was too much for Beckham.

They have no such worries about Saquon Barkley, their newest superstar.

'I don't really care about other people's expectations. I set my own expectations'

By Danny Abriano | Sep 5 | 2:17PM

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Saquon Barkley 1 on 100:02:44

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley chats with SNY Insider Ralph Vacchiano about being a captain and his expectations for 2019.

Saquon Barkley was recenly named one of the Giants' captains for the 2019 season. And while he said it's awesome to gain the respect of his teammates, it doesn't change his responsibility heading into the season.

"That shows you how they feel about me -- especially being a young guy," Barkley told SNY's Ralph Vacchiano on Thursday. "It doesn't put any more pressure on me, I'm not gonna change. Like I said, I don't need a 'C' on my chest to be a leader on this team. Even though I have a 'C' on my chest, I'm not gonna try to go outside of myself."

After being drafted by the Giants at No. 2 overall last season as the team passed on taking a quarterback, there were many who believed Big Blue had made a mistake. Barkley then wen't on to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

The Giants' first injury report came out on Wednesday ahead of their Opening Week matchup with the Cowboys on the road.

Right tackle Mike Remmers was the biggest name on that list, but he wasn't someone that head coach Pat Shurmur mentioned in his opening remarks Wednesday morning. He did mention rookie WR Darius Slayton (hamstring) and TE Garrett Dickerson (quad) as players who may not practice.

Remmers, though, was listed as "illness/back" on the report. This isn't the best sign with the back part after his offseason back surgery that he had to recover from.

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Giants gearing up for even tougher Cowboys matchup after Ezekiel Elliott's return

"That just adds another outstanding player to what's really an outstanding offense."

That means the Giants will be seeing him on the AT&T Stadium turf this Sunday to kick off the season.

Head coach Pat Shurmur has been preparing for a game without Elliott, the NFL's leading rusher a season ago, but that defensive gameplan might need a few tweaks now especially with him expected to receive 20-25 reps, according to NFL Network's Jane Slater.

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott has agreed to a six-year, $90 million extension that includes roughly half the money being guaranteed, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Elliott, 24, had been holding out all offseason, with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones growing skeptical last week that a deal would be reached quickly.

"I'm operating as though right now he's going to miss regular-season games," Jones said on Thursday, according to the Cowboys' official website. "My entire expectation for what we're putting together as a team right now would anticipate with him holding out and not having any training camp that he's going to miss games. I just accept that."

Sterling Shepard is ready to finally get back on the field and catch some passes. Without his thumb splint.

The fourth-year receiver hasn't seen any preseason action, and has been limited at practice due to his fractured right thumb. He was still seen with a yellow, non-contact jersey on at training camp, but would haul in any pass coming his way with his left hand.

That won't be the case on Sunday, though, as Shepard will be in the blue and white ready to take on the Cowboys in Week 1.

5 Giants storylines to watch as NFL season begins

The Manning-Jones dynamic will be the dominant story

The one thing that is certain about the Giants is that they are a team in transition -- or at least they will be soon. There's a new quarterback and a new era on the horizon.

How this season goes will determine how soon that future will come.

So yes, the Eli Manning-Daniel Jones dynamic and when/if the inevitable switch is made will be the dominant story of the Giants' 2019 season. There's no way to avoid that. But that isn't the only storyline to watch...

It's officially game week for the Giants, and as has been the case for two of the last three years, a division matchup with the Cowboys awaits them in Week 1. And the biggest storyline stemming from this game is whether or not RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas' top playmaker, will be on the field.

As many know by now, the Cowboys and Elliott continue to remain at a stalemate in contract extension talks. It's the reason why Elliott has not reported to training camp at all this summer, and still isn't with the team.

However, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Elliott is returning from Cab San Lucas, Mexico -- where he has been training and waiting -- to be ready for a return if he reaches an agreement with the Cowboys. Fox Sports' Shannon Sharpe is also hearing that Elliott is close to a seven-year deal as well.

Why the Giants are better than they were a year ago

Pat Shurmur believes his team is improved, but how exactly?

Aug 8, 2019; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur coaching against the New York Jets during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports (Dennis Schneidler)

If there was one thing the Giants wanted to make clear after their first regular-season practice on Monday, it's that, "We're a better team than we were a year ago," as Pat Shurmur said. No Odell Beckham, no Landon Collins? It's no problem to them.

Yes, they were 5-11 last season so that bar isn't particularly high. And yes, there is an element of, "What else are they supposed to say?"

But the Giants really do seem to believe in addition by subtraction, that by removing a handful of big-name stars they've been able to build a better team -- no matter what the outside world thinks.

After initially announcing that he had been waived, the Giants have have traded linebacker B.J Goodson to the Packers, as confirmed by SNY's Ralph Vacchiano. To replace him, they signed former Panthers and 49ers linebacker David Mayo.

Goodson was a fourth-round draft pick for the Giants in 2016 and went on to appear in 37 games (20 starts) at linebacker for Big Blue over three seasons. He played in 15 games (13 starts) in 2018, making 61 tackles and grabbing two interceptions.

However, with the Giants shifting defensive schemes this season, Goodson struggled to find a role and saw his reps gradually diminish as training camp and preseason progressed.

WATCH: SNY's Ralph Vacchiano breaks down Jets, Giants cuts

Analysis on the moves New York's teams made in cutting down to 53

SNY Insider Ralph Vacchiano analyzes the roster cuts that both the New York Jets and New York Giants made today.

What happened with the Jets and Giants during Saturday's 4 p.m. cut deadline and how did each New York team get down to 53 players on each roster?

SNY's Ralph Vacchiano dissects the top moves for both teams and explains the next steps.

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Giants Cut Tracker: Latest moves to trim down to 53-man roster

Every move as Big Blue finalizes its 53-man roster

By Ralph Vacchiano | Aug 31 | 4:18PM

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(SNY)

All NFL teams are required to cut their rosters from 90 players to 53 by 4 p.m. on Saturday.

That means the Giants, who had 89 players on their roster, must make 36 moves.

Below is our running list of their cuts and other transactions, based off information from sources, players, agents and other published reports:

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Giants' Daniel Jones says he'll keep improving on bench

Rookie QB has plan in place to keep fine-tuning his play on bench

By Nick Wojton | Aug 30 | 7:13PM

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(Brian Fluharty)

Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones looked good in the preseason, now he's shutting it down as the regular season, Eli Manning-led Giants will takeover.

But despite stepping aside, Jones said on Thursday he still plans on continuing to improve while watching from the sideline.

"I think there are a lot of ways to improve even if you are not getting as many reps," Jones said following the Giants' preseason finale against the Patriots on Thursday. "It'll be different. It'll be laid out differently how we're preparing. I look forward to that, it'll be another opportunity to kind of learn and prepare that way."

Jones has been phenomenal in the preseason, but how ready is he?

Daniel Jones exceeded all expectations this summer and was more impressive than anyone could have expected a rookie quarterback to be. He looked ready to play. He showed the Giants' future is in very capable hands.

The only remaining question is: How soon will that future be?

Or to put it another way: Eli Manning may be the Giants' starter, but how short is his leash?

The quarterbacks have been competing behind Eli Manning and Daniel Jones

By Garrett Stepien | Aug 30 | 1:11PM

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Aug 29, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; New York Giants quarterback Kyle Lauletta (17) rolls looks for an open receiver during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports (Bob DeChiara)

While all eyes have been on veteran Eli Manning and rookie Daniel Jones as the regular season approaches for the Giants, another quarterback development has unfolded over the course of the preseason.

The Giants are set to begin the regular season with Manning as the starter and Jones the backup, but the third spot at the position remains undetermined ahead of Saturday's 4 p.m. deadline for the 53-man roster.